Jobs at big league dreams

BEIJING: From hiring ghostwriters and forging sports credentials to generous 'gift-giving', admissions middlemen in China are advising wealthy parents to take an array of 'shortcuts' to secure places at foreign universities.The service comes with a hefty price tag, often running into tens of thousands of dollars, but nonetheless the industry is booming.The lengths to which some are willing to go to were highlighted in the admissions scandal that shook US universities this year, where prosecutors found one Chinese family had given US$6.5 million to an admissions agent to get their daughter to Stanford, while another had coughed up US$1.2 million for entry to Yale.The case saw dozens of people - including Hollywood stars and CEOs - plead guilty to using bribery to ensure places at prestigious schools, but education experts in China say it's not unusual to advise such practise to families keen on foreign universities."In the admissions world, it's called gift-giving instead of bribing. … [Read more...] about China’s Ivy League dreams fuel lucrative admissions industry

Port coach Choketawee Promrut. New Port coach Choketawee Promrut aims to steer the struggling Thai League 1 side to the FA Cup title.The former Thailand midfielder was appointed coach of Port at the weekend after the Lions lost 1-0 to PTT Rayong. He replaces Jadet Meelarp, who is now technical chairman of the club. Port, who led the standings earlier in the season, have claimed only two points from their last six league matches. They are now fifth, five points behind leaders Buriram United. "I want to take the team to the FA Cup final and win the title,'' Choketawee said yesterday. Port won 2-0 at SCG Muang Thong United to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals last week and will next face defending champions Chiang Rai United on Aug 7. They will host Sukhothai in Thai League 1 on Sunday. "I am confident that we will finish in the top five at the end of the season," said Choketawee. Choketawee quit as assistant coach of the national team last month along with caretaker boss … [Read more...] about Port’s Choketawee dreams of FA Cup title

LIVERPOOL: In a hurricane of emotion and adrenaline at Anfield, the electrifying expectation of Liverpool's home support spiraling around the stadium, Trent Alexander-Arnold's mind was still."Don't take your eye off the ball, don't miss a thing."Against all logic, Liverpool had erased their 3-0 deficit against Barcelona in the Champions League.With the aggregate score poised at 3-3 in the semifinal, second leg, the right-back won a corner on 78 minutes.He looked up, placed the ball and shaped to take it before Xherdan Shaqiri requested responsibility for the set-piece.Alexander-Arnold obliged and took slow strides away, before noticing Ernesto Valverde's men had briefly switched off.He swiveled toward the ball sharply, delivering an inch-perfect low cross that Divock Origi converted to give Liverpool another crack at continental glory.Alexander-Arnold, who turned 20 in October and is primed to become the youngest starter in consecutive European Cup finals - he was in the XI that lost … [Read more...] about Why Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold won’t stop

Manchester City have not yet held their victory parade after edging Liverpool in a thrilling Premier League title race but already they are plotting for next season. The champions are not alone. A huge summer splurge on transfer fees is likely after Premier League spending fell last year, in part due to a short window for clubs to complete their business between the end of the World Cup and a new transfer deadline, which fell before the season began. The Premier League's transfer deadline will again come before most of the rest of Europe, on August 8, meaning clubs cannot afford to waste time. The window for domestic deals opens on Thursday. International transfers can be completed from June 11. AFP Sports looks at where each of the top six are set to strengthen. Manchester City The champions may have claimed a remarkable 198 points over two title-winning campaigns, but Pep Guardiola promised they will come back stronger next season and are likely to invest heavily for a variety … [Read more...] about Premier League set to splash the cash as transfer window opens

By Bruce Arthur Sports Columnist Tues., April 30, 2019 Pascal Siakam was pondering. He acknowledges Joel Embiid is a challenge, because that’s obvious. Embiid might be wheezing, overweight and, in Game 2 of this Raptors-Sixers second-round series, suffering from what he succinctly termed “the s----.” But the Philadelphia centre is still a holy terror defensively, able to leap out, get fooled, and still recover to the rim to block out the sun. As Raptors centre Marc Gasol said, “We know once the ball gets there and gets into the paint, a lot of the time Joel is coming.” The 76ers adjusted to Siakam’s near-perfect 29-point opener by putting his fellow Cameroonian on him Monday night, because the math worked. Siakam is most effective when he beats someone to the rim; Embiid is a seven-foot monster there. Siakam shot 9-for-25 in Game 2, often against Embiid. He pondered a solution. “Obviously he’s bigger than me, but … [Read more...] about The Sixers’ answer to Siakam’s big opening game was to put a fellow Cameroonian on the Raptors star